** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE SEVERELY UNDER-REPRESENTED IN THE NATION'S FOOD AND COMMUNITY NUTRITION WORKFORCE; ONLY 3% OF CREDENTIALED NUTRITION AND DIETETICS PRACTITIONERS ARE HISPANIC AND 3% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN (COMMISSION DIETETIC REGISTRATION, 2020). CONSISTENT WITH THE USDA'S FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH PRIORITY AREA TO ADDRESS THE UNDERREPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES IN THE COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND HEALTH FIELDS, THE GOAL OF THIS 5-YEAR PROJECT IS TO LAUNCH A PAID 15-WEEK PATH (PROVIDING ADVANCED TRAINING IN HEALTH) INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THE PATH INTERNSHIP'S OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) RECRUIT, RETAIN, AND ENGAGE A TOTAL 50 HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS; 2) PROVIDE AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AIMED AT: A) INCREASING ENTRY-LEVEL COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE IN THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY NUTRITION/HEALTH PROGRAMMING; B) ENGAGING INTERNS IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN NUTRITION EDUCATION, RESEARCH, DATA GATHERING AND EVALUATION; AND C) INCREASING NUTRITION AND RESEARCH LITERACY TO INFORM EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND HEALTH PRACTICE; AND 3) PROVIDE MENTORING AND CAREER/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO INTERNS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND NUTRITION CAREERS. THE INTERNSHIP EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA AND INCORPORATE RAPID CYCLE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR CONTINUOUS MONITORING REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES WILL INCLUDE: 1) RECRUIT AND TRAIN 50 STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 80% COMPLETING A MINIMUM OF 80% OF THE INTERNSHIP COMPONENTS; 2) INCREASE PARTICIPANT'S KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN ENTRY-LEVEL COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROGRAMMING; AND 3) FOSTER INTERNS' CAREER READINESS FOR COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS.